It is desirable to package an article such as, a portable electronic device for example a mobile telephone, for sale display or storage, in such a way that the article can be seen without opening the package carrying the article. It is known in the prior art to form a tray-like packaging from two overlapping sheets of clear plastic wherein one or the other or both sheets have a preformed cavity or cavities formed therein having a general size and shape to accommodate the size and shape of the article placed in and carried or held sandwich-like within a chamber formed by the cavity defined between the two overlapping sheets. The plastic sheets may be thermoformed for example and are heat staked or otherwise bonded to one another such that the article is securely carried and protected by the packaging and yet remains visible. Descriptive information regarding the article, graphics, text, logo designs and the like relating to the product, manufacturer, sales promotion or product operation may be printed or otherwise carried on a sheet such as cardstock and the sheet is also sandwiched between the two overlapping plastic sheets for viewing. However, there are a number of disadvantages and drawbacks with such tray-like packaging. Typically, such tray-like packaging does not lend itself to easy display either by hanging on display hooks or in a stand-alone orientation on a shelf or flat display surface. Additionally, such tray-like packaging is also not secure in that the two overlapping sheets can be carefully separated without destroying the original internal packaging to remove the genuine original article and replacing it with a counterfeit or used article so it appears to be in the original packaging and therefore fooling or deceiving consumers into believing they are purchasing an original, genuine article.
It is also known in the prior art to form a packaging such as shown in FIG. 1 and generally designated 10 in which a hinged carton part 12 has peripheral inner facing marginal regions 14, 16 which are heat sealed or otherwise bonded to one another around a clear plastic part 18 that is sized, shaped and contoured to hold the article 20. The clear plastic part may be made by thermoforming, molding, extruding or in other ways known in the art. The hinged carton part 12 has a window or opening 22 in which and through which a portion of the clear plastic part 18 fits so the article 20 carried by the clear plastic part 18 can be viewed. The hinged carton part 12 has exposed surface areas that may be printed on to carry desired information regarding the article or other desired graphics, text, logos and the like as commonly known and used in the packaging trade. One or more surface areas 24 along the peripheral region of the hinged carton part 12 may be enlarged and arranged with an aperture or slot 26 that can be used to hang the packaging for display or storage purposes. Although the hinged carton packaging 10 provides a number of benefits and advantages, its construction and design lends itself to pirating and reuse for counterfeit or non-original products because the plastic part 18 (with the product) can be carefully removed from the sealed hinged carton part 12 and the original genuine product replaced with another imitation or counterfeit product. A further drawback to the hinged carton packaging solution is that the packaging configuration is easily copied by competitors and others without a major investment in development and production and such copying or imitation dilutes brand recognition of the carried product.
It is believed that a unique packaging solution for packaging articles that overcomes the disadvantages and the drawbacks of the prior art packaging would lead to greater security for such packaging. It is also believed that a unique packaging solution for packaging articles and products would enhance brand recognition of the products carried thereby and has applicability outside the area of electronic device packaging.